Patricia Dale
Labour Party
South Middleton Ward
After retiring from a long career in teaching, in 2018 I was elected as a South Middleton Councillor and then re-elected in 2022. Having lived most of my married life in Rhodes and Alkrington, I recognise the issues which are important to South Ward residents. For the last five years I have been determined to make a positive difference to the ward, in any way I could.
During this time, I have listened to the concerns of residents and responded to them immediately. Just one example of this was when the Alkrington Post Office closed. Many residents told me that not having a local post office was making life difficult for them. After visiting a library in Leeds which ‘housed’ a post office, and seeing how successful it was, I was determined to ensure a post office would come to Alkrington Library. With the help of the Council and my Labour Councillor colleagues, Alkrington residents now continue to have a Post Office on their doorstep and the footfall to the library has increased.
Another example of listening to residents has resulted in a new pedestrian crossing being sited near the corner of Kingsway and Kirkway. This now provides a safe place for children and parents to cross and reduce the number of vehicles doing the ‘school run’.
The last three years have been very challenging for all of us. The Pandemic has meant that as a community we had to ‘pull together’. The amazing work of our Neighbourhood Hub ensured our vulnerable residents received the support and care they needed. With the magnificent help of the Council and the Independent Sector, it was a privilege to be able to contribute to these efforts.
During the current ‘cost of living crisis’, as during the Pandemic, I have responded to the concerns of residents. With the rest of the Labour Group, I was pleased to support the motion to give each household in the borough a 2% rebate on their council tax, the only council in Greater Manchester to do so.
I also know that the extra financial support the Council has given to those most in need has helped to enable families to heat their homes and feed their families.
Throughout the last year, many residents have taken advantage of the Council’s introduction of the twice yearly free collection of Bulky Waste. This has helped to cut down the number of fly tipping incidents across the town.
Residents have started to see the benefits of bringing back Highways Repairs under Council control. I feel that I have greater control over the quality of the work and the response times of my enquiries has reduced.
Despite the ongoing challenges of the ‘cost of living crisis’, the future of Middleton is looking very positive. With my Middleton Labour Councillor colleagues, we have worked closely with the Council to complete a Master Plan for the future of Middleton’s Town Centre. The plan focuses on delivering new homes, commercial spaces, transport and environmental improvements. New walking and cycling routes will pave the way for the planned expansion of Metrolink to the town centre. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those residents and businesses who took part in the public consultation and provided us with valuable feedback which will be listened to.
Twelve months ago , I became the chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Health, Schools and Social Care. This has enabled me to ensure that council policies are always implemented, thus making a real difference to the quality of life for many of my residents. One example of this was the payment of the Real Living Wage for service providers within Adult Social Care.
Finally, if I am re-elected, I will continue to support our local community groups which provide a rich variety of activities across the ward. I will continue to support my residents, to advocate for them and continue to play an active and visible role throughout the ward.
I am now asking the residents of South Middleton to put their trust in me once more.
Thank you.
Patricia Dale
